Altrusa donates art to elementary school

October 24, 2004

TV Hagenah

The Altrusa organization and Tucumcari Elementary School got together recently and the result was art and literature.
Altrusa members Glenda Reid and LInda Donwerth went into the elementary art class of Andrea Hodge Oct. 21, and presented the class with art books to help celebrate Altrusa’s “Make a Difference Day” project.

According to Donwerth, the art books will be used by Hodge, and volunteer assistant, Gretchen Pate, to introduce students to artists, such as Claude Monet, Diego Rivera, Vincent Van Gogh, and New Mexico’s own Georgia O’Keefe.
“The second grade students are learning about line segments, which are what Van Gogh’s paintings are,” said Hodge.

For their part the Altrusa members were happy that a donation could be of such practical yet artistic use.
“Altrusa members were delighted to promote a program where art and literacy are being used together,” said Reid.
The Altrusa members also presented to the Tucumcari Elementary School teacher the O’Keefe print “Petunia-1925”.

The presentation was done in memory of Millie Shankles, a long time Tucumcari Altrusa member who supported literacy projects. Assistant Principal Janna Frost accepted the picture on behalf of the school. Donwerth said O’Keefe was chosen for her artistic love of New Mexico, and the “Petunia-1925” print appears in the O’Keefe Art Books being donated.

Hodge said she was glad to see the different colors of matting around the O’Keefe print because her older students are studying that technique. Make A Difference Day, the largest national day of helping others, is sponsored by USA WEEKEND Magazine in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation. Actor-philanthropist Paul Newman awards $10,000 in charitable donations to 10 Make A Difference Day Awardees. The actual Make A Difference date is October 23, 2004.